Savour small-town Wisconsin's unique flavours

DOOR COUNTY, Wisconsin - It took only a splash of liquor into the pan of fresh scallops to create the dramatic fireball, but it was the sudden release of aromas that brought a smile to this chef's face.

I was enjoying the fireworks, but it's all about flavour for William Marks, chef and owner of Restaurant Saveur, who is making a pretty big splash himself on this lakeside county's culinary scene.

Trained at the Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, the young chef has brought his skills back to his native Wisconsin, and the resort community of Baileys Harbor on the banks of Lake Michigan.

It's not only his Canadian training that he has brought back to Door County, and to the fine-dining spot he opened a couple of years ago. A number of ingredients on his menu come from north of the border, including the Prince Edward Island mussels he used in my fabulous spicy seafood appetizer and the melt-in-your-mouth Quebec veal shanks in the Osso Buco entree that followed.

"In season I use Door County products as much as I can, but sometimes there are no substitutes when you're looking for the best,'' Marks says, dishing succulent scallops onto a plate.

We're travelling in Wisconsin's vacation playground, Door County, a fascinating escape for Canucks looking for an off-the-beaten-track holiday.

Even as gas prices soar, our rising loonie continues to bring a southern focus for Canadian drivers. If you're looking for an economical holiday, this cosy part of America's Midwest is a good spot to aim your compass.

The rural county is the northern 120-kilometre-long section of the Door Peninsula, a thumb of land that's surrounded by the waters of Green Bay to the west and Lake Michigan to the east. Tranquil cherry and apple orchards dominate the summer landscape, but the lure of its sparkling lake also brings in water sports enthusiasts and sports anglers. It's a good spot for vacationers wanting to mix and match a country-style vacation in a lakeside setting.

You could be forgiven for thinking that you had settled into a coastal vacation here. Despite being 1,000 km from the ocean, Door County is home to 10 lighthouses, and more than 500 km of shoreline. What with the fishing, boating, scuba diving and shipwrecks, not to mention the abundance of fish on the menus of all the county's restaurants, it's like the seaside without the salty air.

Door County's location has long been a favourite with vacationers from nearby Chicago and Milwaukee, just a few hours drive away to the south.

The equalization of the loonie and the greenback has also alerted Canadians to the delights of this holiday destination.

For our young chef, the region is also a great place for children.

"It's not just the business opportunities here. We have two kids and view Door County as an awesome place to raise a family," Marks says.

Pretty villages, most with harbours and marinas, are scattered all along the peninsula on both the Green Bay side and the Lake Michigan shores.

Whether you stay bayside or lakeside, the towns all have their own personality and charm bearing names such as Egg Harbor, Horseshoe Bay, Mink River and Sister Bay.

Baileys Harbor, on the lake side, is home to Chef Marks's restaurant, but a 30-minute scenic drive across the peninsula to the bay reveals another sizzling part of the local dining scene.

OUTDOOR BLAZE ADDS DRAMA

In the appropriately named village of White Fish, Tom Christianson is also no slouch when it comes to creating his own culinary conflagrations, albeit with different finesse than Chef Marks demonstrates in his kitchens.

Then again, cooking outdoors Christianson doesn't have to worry unduly about strict fire codes. For the past dozen or so years, he's been the chief fish boiler at the White Gull Inn, an elegant hostelry that has been a proud part of the White Fish community for more than a century.

It's the fish boiler's job to prepare a meal of fish and potatoes for the 75 or so guests that have reserved seats for the occasion at the hotel's restaurant. So, the necessary cup or three of highly volatile kerosene added to his blaze at crucial stages of his outdoor fish boil not only serve to superheat his blaze, it also sets the stage for a colourful and dramatic evening. The fish boil is as much a part of Door County as its spring cherry blossoms and its summer sailing regattas. With that much water out there, there's no shortage of fish for the fish boiler's giant cooking pot.

The traditional Door County fish boil uses freshly caught Lake Michigan whitefish cooked outdoors on an open fire, just like the early Scandinavians who settled the peninsula did it. Cut into chunks, the fish pieces, along with red potatoes, are boiled over a blazing log fire. When the fish is almost done, the master boiler adds a small amount of kerosene into the flames, increasing the heat and causing a sudden boil over. This removes the excess fish oils that have cooked to the surface of the water, and cooks the fish to perfection.

Christianson's fiery cooking process is a traditional kind of culinary alchemy that is practised in numerous restaurants up and down the peninsula.

The colourful show is as much a part of the meal as the actual dining experience. Served up buffet-style afterwards with lemon wedges, melted butter and coleslaw, the meal is a must for visitors to the region. Not bad for $18.50, American or Canadian, and it includes dessert.

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